Thermally insulated livestock medication container

ABSTRACT

A livestock medication containment and administration container has a thermally insulated body defining an interior cavity and a top opening. A lid is movably attached to the thermally insulated body and has one or more apertures extending through the lid that are configured to receive a dispensing end of a livestock medication delivery device. Divider panels provide interior compartments for storage of livestock medication vials and associated administration supplies. Preferably, the lid is divided so that access to the medication and administration supplies may be accomplished through a first lid side while the medication delivery devices are carried in a second lid side.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. provisionalapplication No. 62/445,369, filed Jan. 12, 2017 the contents of whichare herein incorporated by reference. This application is a continuationin part of U.S. design patent application number 29/599,965, filed Apr.7, 2017, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to thermally insulated containers and,more particularly, thermally insulated containers for carrying anddispensing medications for livestock.

In managing a herd of livestock, such as cows, goats, pigs, chickens,and the like, it is often necessary to administer medications to thelivestock for prophylactic purposes or in response to a diseasecondition exhibited by the animals. These medications typically must bemaintained within a temperature controlled environment to preventspoilage of the medication or to ensure that the medication may bedelivered to the livestock.

The medications are typically administered by a medication deliverydevice. However, presently in the art, there is no way of convenientlystoring the medication delivery device while not actively administeringthe medication to the livestock. Similarly, once the medication deliverydevice has been charged with a medication, there is no way to maintainthe medication within the delivery device in a thermally protectedenvironment.

As can be seen, there is a need for an improved thermally insulatedlivestock medication container.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, a livestock medicationcontainer, includes a thermally insulated body having a plurality ofupstanding sidewalls, a bottom wall interconnecting the plurality ofupstanding sidewalls to define an interior cavity, and a top opening. Atop lid movably attached to at least one of the plurality of upstandingsidewalls. The top lid is configured to close the top opening in aclosed position. One or more apertures extend through the top lid andare configured to receive a dispensing end of a livestock medicationdispenser. One or more dividers are removably received within theinterior cavity, to define a plurality of interior compartments. The toplid may divided between a first lid portion covering a first portion ofthe top opening and a second lid portion covering a second portion ofthe top opening. The first lid portion covers at least one of theplurality of interior compartments, while the second lid portion coversat least another of the plurality of interior compartments.

A first flange extends from an interior edge the first lid portion and asecond flange extends from an interior edge of the second lid portion.The first flange and the second flange cooperatively engage one anotherto seal the top opening across a transverse aspect of the thermallyinsulated body. Preferably, the first flange overlies the second flangeto prevent opening of the second lid portion without opening the firstlid portion.

In a preferred embodiment, the apertures are defined in the second lidportion. A containment bin may be carried within the interior cavity andpositioned beneath the one or more apertures.

At least one of the plurality of interior compartments is configured toreceive a livestock medication vial. At least one of the plurality ofinterior compartments is configured to receive a thermally activepackage, which may be a cold pack, or a heat pack.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the presentinvention will become better understood with reference to the followingdrawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top front perspective view of an embodiment of a livestockvaccination cooler;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of the livestock vaccination cooler;

FIG. 3 is a rear elevation view of the livestock vaccination cooler;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the livestock vaccination cooler;

FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of the livestock vaccination cooler;

FIG. 6 is a right side elevation view of the livestock vaccinationcooler;

FIG. 7 is a left side elevation view of the livestock vaccinationcooler;

FIG. 8 is a top front perspective view of the livestock vaccinationcooler, shown with both lids open;

FIG. 9 is a top front perspective view of an embodiment of a livestockvaccination cooler holding a livestock medication dispenser;

FIG. 10 is a front elevation view of the livestock vaccination coolerholding a livestock medication dispenser;

FIG. 11 is a rear elevation view of the livestock vaccination coolerholding a livestock medication dispenser;

FIG. 12 is a top plan view of the livestock vaccination cooler holding alivestock medication dispenser;

FIG. 13 is a bottom plan view of the livestock vaccination coolerholding a shown livestock medication dispenser;

FIG. 14 is a right side elevation view of the livestock vaccinationcooler holding a livestock medication dispenser;

FIG. 15 is a left side elevation view of the livestock vaccinationcooler shown holding a livestock medication dispenser; and

FIG. 16 is a top front perspective view of an embodiment of a livestockvaccination cooler in an open condition shown holding a livestockmedication dispenser.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplatedmodes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. Thedescription is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merelyfor the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention,since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention provides an improvedlivestock medication container having one or more apertures in a top lidof the container that are configured to receive a dispensing end of alivestock medication dispenser. The livestock medication dispenser 36may include any type of medication delivery tip, including asubcutaneous injection needle, an oral administration tube, a topicalapplicator, a spray tip applicator, and the like that is carried on adelivery end of the livestock medication dispenser.

The livestock medication container 10 is formed by a thermally insulatedbody having a plurality of upstanding sidewalls 12 and a bottom wall 14interconnecting the plurality of upstanding sidewalls 12 to define aninterior cavity 16 and a top opening 18.

A top lid 20 may be movably attached to at least one of the plurality ofupstanding sidewalls 12 and is movable between an open position and aclosed position, such as by a hinge 15. The top lid 20 is configured tosealingly close the top opening 18 of the container when the top lid 20is a closed position. One or more apertures 22 extend through the toplid 20. The one or more apertures 22 are configured to receive adispensing end of a livestock medication dispenser 36 such that thedelivery tip 37 may be received within an interior cavity 16 of thecontainer 10. The sidewalls 12 may have lateral extensions for a handle38, or handhold portion for carrying of the container.

The top lid 20 may include a first lid portion 24 covering a firstportion of the top opening 18 and a second lid portion 26 covering asecond portion of the top opening 18. The split top configurationpermits one person to be mixing livestock medications while the anotherperson may utilize the medication dispenser to administer one or moremedications to the livestock. The top lid 20 may also include one ormore latching devices 27 extending between the top lid 20 and at leastone of the sidewalls 12. The one or more latching devices 27 areoperable to secure the top lid 20 in the closed position.

One or more dividers 24 are removably received within the interiorcavity 16 and define a plurality of compartments 28 within the thermallyinsulated body. The dividers 24 may include one or more panels thatcooperatively engage with a channel defined in a surface of the interiorcavity 16. The one or more dividers 24 may also include a bin, a tray orother receptacle. At least one of the plurality of compartments 28 areconfigured to receive a livestock medication vial or other medicationpackaging. Additional medication administration supplies, such asgloves, antiseptics, cleansing agents, record logs, writing implementsmay also be carried in the plurality of compartments 28. The segregationof medications provided by the compartments 28 reduces the chance of amedication being contaminated/cross contaminated, while keeping theneedles and other medication administration supplies convenientlylocated.

Typically the livestock medication should be maintained at a controlledtemperature environment to avoid spoilage of the medication or ensurethe deliverability of the medication. For example, during warmenvironmental conditions, a cold pack may be placed within one of thecompartments 28 to maintain the medication vials and delivery end of thedispenser chilled to prevent spoilage of the medication. In winterconditions, a heat pack may be carried within one of the compartments 28to prevent freezing of the medication. The cold pack may be on of achemically reactive composition, a frozen composition, or anelectrically activated device. The heat pack may be one of an exothermicreactive composition, a heated composition, or an electrically activatedheating element. The aperture 22 is preferably configured to permit thedelivery tip 37 and at least a portion of the delivery device 36 so thatthe medication within the delivery device 36 may be thermally controlledwhile not being actively utilized to administer the medication to thelivestock.

The first lid portion 24 covers at least one of the plurality ofinterior compartments 26. Similarly, the second lid portion 26 covers atleast one other of the plurality of interior compartments 28. A firstflange 30 may extend from an interior edge the first lid portion 24 anda second flange 32 extending from an opposed interior edge of the secondlid portion 26, such that the first flange and the second flangecooperatively engage one another to seal the top opening across atransverse aspect of the thermally insulated body. The first flange 30may overly the second flange 32 to prevent opening of the second lidportion 26 without opening the first lid portion 24. Preferably, theapertures 22 are defined in the second lid portion 26.

A containment bin 29 may be positioned within the interior cavity 16beneath the one or more apertures 22 to capture any dripping of themedication from the dispenser 36. The containment bin 29 also serves tosegregate any medication vials and other supplies from the interiorcavity 16 beneath the apertures 22 to ensure that the tip 37 of themedication dispenser 36 is not damaged when the dispenser is insertedinto the apertures.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates toexemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may bemade without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as setforth in the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A livestock medication container, comprising: athermally insulated body having a plurality of upstanding sidewalls, abottom wall interconnecting the plurality of upstanding sidewalls todefine an interior cavity, and a top opening; a lid movably attached toat least one of the plurality of upstanding sidewalls, the lidconfigured to provide a closure of the top opening when placed in aclosed position; and one or more sleeves forming apertures extendingthrough the lid, wherein the one or more sleeves extend from an interiorof the lid and are dimensioned to holster a dispensing end of alivestock medication delivery device in an upright orientation.
 2. Thelivestock medication container of claim 1, further comprising: one ormore dividers removably received within the interior cavity, to define aplurality of interior compartments.
 3. The livestock medicationcontainer of claim 2, wherein the top lid further comprises: a first lidportion covering a first portion of the top opening; and a second lidportion covering a second portion of the top opening.
 4. The livestockmedication container of claim 3, wherein the first lid portion covers atleast one of the plurality of interior compartments.
 5. The livestockmedication container of claim 3, wherein the second lid portion coversanother of the plurality of interior compartments.
 6. The livestockmedication container of claim 3, further comprising: a first flangeextending from an interior edge of the first lid portion; and a secondflange extending from an interior edge of the second lid portion,wherein the first flange and the second flange cooperatively engage oneanother to seal the top opening across a transverse aspect of thethermally insulated body.
 7. The livestock medication container of claim6, wherein the first flange overlies the second flange preventingopening of the second lid portion without opening the first lid portion.8. The livestock medication container of claim 3, wherein the aperturesare defined in the second lid portion.
 9. The livestock medicationcontainer of claim 5, wherein at least one of the plurality of interiorcompartments is configured to receive a livestock medication vial. 10.The livestock medication container of claim 5, wherein at least one ofthe plurality of interior compartments is configured to receive athermally active package.
 11. The livestock medication container ofclaim 10, wherein the thermally active package is a cold pack.
 12. Thelivestock medication container of claim 10, wherein the thermally activepackage is a heat pack.
 13. The livestock medication container of claim1, further comprising: a containment bin within the interior cavitypositioned beneath the one or more apertures.
 14. The livestockmedication container of claim 1, wherein the one or more apertures aresubstantially cylindrical.
 15. A livestock medication container,comprising: a thermally insulated body having a plurality of upstandingsidewalls, a bottom wall interconnecting the plurality of upstandingsidewalls to define an interior cavity, and a top opening; a first lidsegment and a second lid segment configured to provide a closure of afirst end and a second end of the top opening when placed in a closedposition, each of the first lid segment and the second lid segmentmovably attached to at least one of the plurality of upstandingsidewalls; and one or more sleeves forming apertures extending throughthe second lid segment, wherein the one or more sleeves extend from aninterior of the lid and are dimensioned to retain a dispensing end of alivestock medication delivery device in an upright orientation with adelivery tip of the livestock medication device received within theinterior cavity.
 16. The livestock medication container of claim 15,wherein the second lid comprises at least three apertures.
 17. Thelivestock medication container of claim 15, further comprising: one ormore dividers removably received within the interior cavity defining aplurality of interior compartments, wherein at least one of theplurality of interior compartments is a livestock medication containmentbin.
 18. The livestock medication container of claim 17, wherein atleast one of the plurality of interior compartments is an isolation bindefined beneath the second lid portion to segregate the dispensing endsof the livestock medication delivery device from the other interiorcompartments.